It is often desirable to eliminate or reduce the growth of grass or weeds about the base of a post, such as a generally upright post, or about the base of a tree or shrub. The elimination of such grass or weeds about the base eliminates the need for trimming the grass or weeds about the base and avoids damage to the base of the post from lawn mowers, weed-cutting apparatuses and the like. The growth of grass or weeds about the base of the post or tree can be controlled by eliminating the sunlight through the employment of a covered area about the base of the post or tree.
Tree- or post-collar apparati and methods which are inexpensive, easily assembled and used, and reusable, and which may be adjusted to encircle a post or irregular tree-stem trunk, to eliminate the growth of grass or weeds about the base being covered by the post collar, and which can be expanded to accommodate tree-trunk growth, have been described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/276,208 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,536, which are incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,378, issued Aug. 22, 1989 describes a modular landscape system. The system provides for the masking of a ground surface to prevent unwanted growth, for watering plants from a single location and for containing decorative material about a plant by the use of a radial outer rim. This system provides for interlocking of the modules in a rigid, non-slidable, non-adjustable manner.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/276,208, now allowed, provides for a collar apparatus which is adapted to contain gravel, mulch, bark, or other particulate or fibrous material in a confined, selected space about the encircled post, tree or shrub base for improved aesthetic appearance and more effective elimination of sunlight.
It is now desired to provide for a collar apparatus having a plurality of sheet elements with integrally molded interlocking means, adapted to be interlocked together in a snap-fitted manner that is completely and easily adjustable by the user. The invention provides for an inexpensive, simpler and more flexible means of providing a covered area around a post or botanical item.